


The Promise of Trust

by binarysight



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Again, Consent, Death, Deviates From Canon, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Firsts, Flashbacks, Forbidden Love, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Jedi as Found Family (Star Wars), Love Confessions, Mental Health Issues, Parenthood, Romance, Slow Burn, Star Wars Spoilers, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide Attempt, jedi/mandalorian war, mando falls in love, mando has a lot of feelings, mentions of events in episode V
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-15
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-13 06:14:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,697
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28773681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/binarysight/pseuds/binarysight
Summary: *This is basically Season 2 of The Mandalorian, but with a female companion/former Jedi. Big deviations from cannon, but obvious spoilers. Lots of pinning and eventual romance!Din Djarin is tasked with reuniting The Child with his kind, but he doesn't know the first thing about the mysterious sorcerers known as Jedi. A loose lead brings him to the hidden town of Mos Pelgo where he gains the help of an old friend of Peli Motto. While searching for answers Din starts to realize that The Child had lived fifty years before he was a foundling. Turns out he once belonged with someone else.Conflicting creeds, co-parenting, and confessions reunite The Child with an old protector, and The Mandalorian with a familiar face from home. Can a healthy relationship really exist in Star Wars?https://binary-sight.tumblr.com/
Relationships: Din Djarin/Original Female Character(s), Din Djarin/Original Female Jedi Knight
Comments: 2
Kudos: 31





	1. The Reunion

**Chapter I - The Reunion**

The Crest landed heavily on the sandy Tatooine hanger. Mos Eisley didn’t have much for Mando besides infinite desert, memories of difficult bounties, and a grouchy mechanic, but this time around he sought his own kind. The familiar shrill of Peli Motto reverberated through Hanger 3-5. 

“All right, Hey! Come on, you know he doesn’t like droids.” 

“May as well. The Crest needs a tune up.” 

“Change of heart, Mando? You heard him, get to it!” 

The droids began their attempt to repair The Razor Crest as Peli doted over the little green womp rat. Mando wouldn’t admit it, but seeing others care for The Child was becoming less alarming. Between Cara, Greef, and a reprogramed IG unit, the kid had touched many lives along their travels. Even this disgruntled mechanic would search the galaxy to find him if The Mandalorian failed his task. 

“I’m looking for a Mandalorian on Mos Pelgo. Have you heard news of any?” 

“A Mandalorian? Can’t say that I have, but-” Peli scratched her head before ducking back into her workshop. She emerged a few moments later carrying a small canister no bigger than her palm. “I know someone that might be able to help you. An old friend. Take this to Fane Valen. She’ll know to trust you.” 

Mando quickly secured the canister and pulled out the map. Good bounty hunters never ask questions. 

* * *

Finding Mos Plego was no easy task. The map was of little use as every turn showed nothing but sand and rock. It didn’t help that each dome blended in seamlessly with its surroundings. Why would a friend of Peli’s live this far off the grid?

The cantina seemed like the easiest place to start. Mando left The Child with the speeder bike and retrieved the small canister. The place was as empty as the town besides the barman.

“I’m looking for Fane Valen.” 

“Who’s asking?”

“Peli Motto sent me here.” 

“Looks like your little green friends already found her.” The barman pointed outside the cantina. 

Across the way The Child rushed quickly to a hooded figure standing at a market stall. He’d never seen those little feet move so fast, not even in the face of danger. Mando instinctually put his hand on his blaster and began to walk swiftly outside. He could hear the kid cooing and trying to gain the figure's attention by grabbing on to their leg. 

“What are you doing?” Mando screamed to try to gain his attention. The kid knew better than to approach total strangers. 

The kid didn’t turn to look. Instead the hooded figure looked down at the kid and dropped to their knees. Their covering was pushed back to reveal a woman with dark hair and tanned skin with tears in her eyes. For the first time Mando remembered that The Child lived fifty years before he was a foundling. 

The woman reached out tenderly to hold the kid and brought him to her face. He smiled and touched his forehead to hers like a familiar greeting. A reunion. 

“Cute kid!” said the market vendor. 

“My kid.” Mando stormed up to the women ready to rip him out of her hands. 

“Your kid?” The women's voice was calm and low. She did not flinch as Mando approached, and did not take her eyes off of The Child. Their smiles combined gleamed brighter than his beskar. 

Mando took a closer look at her face. There was something familiar about the bridge of her nose, the thick curls and her eyes... deep brown. Warm like... He quickly pushed the image away, unable to fathom the resemblance between this woman and those that he knew as a young child before the separatists destroyed his home. Before he was a foundling and took the creed. 

“Do- do you know him?” Mando wasn’t sure he was ready to learn about The Child’s past. 

“Gorgu and I go way back.” The woman's smile faded. She handed the kid to Mando despite those little green fingers reaching out for her.

“ _Grogu?_ ” The Child cooed and looked up at Mando. 

“That’s his name, _Grogu_.” The Child cooed again. 

“And you’re Fane Vallen?” Mando wasn’t sure, but this woman would be far more useful to them if she had history with the kid. 

“Who’s asking?” Mando presented the canister. The gleam in her eyes was stomped out cold. “Peli sent you?” 

This was one of Peli’s friends? Mando started to think that he was being set up, “She said you could help. I’m looking for a Mandalorian. One of my kind.” Fane did not look convinced. “The Mandalorian can help me find his kind. Grogu’s kind. The Jedi.” 

Fane took the canister. “Come inside, he looks hungry.” 

* * *

Grogu was fussing over his soup and squeaking non-stop. Mando had never seen him try to communicate this much.

“I’m sorry- I have no way to understand you anymore.” Fane went back to feeding the disgruntled baby. 

Mando shook his head between the two, “You can talk to him?” 

“It was a long time ago,” Fane paid him no mind. 

“What happened?” 

“Why did Peli send you to me?” 

“She thought you could help. I got wind of a Mandalorain who resides here, and they can lead me to the Jedi.” 

“There are no more Jedi.” Grogu’s ears turned inward. “I’m sorry I can’t help you.” 

Mando thought she sounded too sure of herself. It was a big galaxy. If there was one Jedi there would be more. There had to be. 

“But there is a Mandalorian here, right?” 

“I think you mean me.” A booming voice called over from the bar. “Is this guy bothering you, Fane?” 

“On the contrary Marshal, he’s brought an old friend for a visit.” 

“That’s a big frog!” The voice laughed heartily. 

Mando turned back to see a full set of tarnished beskar and a helmetless Mandalorin whose face was as worn as the armor. He immediately stood. A Mandalorian would never reveal their face. “Who are you, and where did you get that armor?” 

“Cobb Vanth, I’m the Marshal around here.” he downed a shot of spotchka. “I bought it off of some Jawas. It’s a long story.” 

“Take off the armor, or I will.” 

“Alright fellas. No need for a standoff. I’m sure we can work something out.” Fane put herself between the two with her palms spread out in either direction. 

Mando couldn’t explain it, but a calm was cast over him. His head was clearer, more apt to reason, and he came to the understanding that this man had no ill intentions on wearing the armor of the Mandalorians. He couldn’t help but think she had something akin to The Child, but if she was like Grogu why couldn’t she help them? 

Getting to an agreement between an angry, offended, Mandalorian and a hot headed, self proclaimed, marshal wasn’t easy. They eventually struck a bargain, The Mandalorian would help save the town from the terrible creature that plagues it, and Cobb would return the armor. 

Neither task was simple and required great strength. The armor helped Cobb secure the town after a lifetime of slavery and invasion. The people of Mos Pelgo saw the armor as a sense of protection and freedom from oppression. 

The Mandalorian had to kill an impossible beast and come to the realization that he must face someone from The Child's past. He knew that Fane was like Grogu somehow, but did not trust her withholding what she knew. Maybe she didn’t trust him either. 

It wasn’t hard. He knew that. Many Mandalorians made their way through bounty hunting and violence, not caring for foundlings, so the suspicion was expected. However, she never questioned his care of Grogu. Someone who reached for the kid so tenderly should have tried to take him away. Maybe she was just biding her time? 

* * *

After speaking with The Sand people, Cobb and Mando returned after a few days to recruit the villagers. The beast would take both their clans combined if they wanted to stand a chance.

After getting to know Cobb, Mando thought it best that Grogu stay behind under Fane’s care. 

“I’m not sure this is a good idea.” Fane lamented. 

“He’s not much trouble. Besides, this dragon is bigger than anything I’ve taken down before. We’re going to lose a lot of people if we aren’t careful and I can’t take that risk with him.” Mando tried to sound disinterested. 

“There’s something you don’t understand- the last time he was under my care- I thought he was-” 

“He kept looking back towards the town the entire journey. I don’t know the history between the two of you, but I know him.” Mando was never one to hide from any obvious truth. He was forthright when it came to The Child and knew he’d do whatever was best for his well being. “He doesn’t want to lose you again.”

Fane was beginning to realize that this was not a typical bounty hunter. “Out with it. You have questions. One-for-one.” Fane bolstered before downing a snort of spotchka. 

“Did you take Grogu from his people?” 

“No.” Mando believed her. “Is he your bounty?” 

“No. Not anymore.” 

“Not anymore?” 

“One-for-one.” Mando poured her another shot. “How did the kid come under your care?” 

“It’s a long story. He was entrusted to me once. Let’s just say I’m happy he’s with someone who can protect him.” Fane put down the drink and pushed it to the side. Her face winced apologetically. “Who wanted him?” 

“Moff Gideon, an Imperial who wanted Grogu for his blood. I didn’t ask questions. He’s dead now.”

Fane’s nostrils flared and her eyes narrowed, “Moff Gideon is dead?” 

“Yes. Now I get two.” Mando pushed Grogu away from the discarded drink, but never looked away from her, “How do you know about Moff Gideon, and why are you lying about the Jedi?” 

“I’m not lying about the Jedi. There hasn’t been one for ages, and again, a long story,” Fane huffed. 

Mando had better luck asking The Sand People to risk their lives for intruders than getting a clear answer from Fane. He had better luck talking to Cara Dune! There was no way to understand it. Was the tender moment they shared too painful for her? What could have happened to separate them?

“You haven’t been giving me real answers, and I know you don’t trust me, but anything you know will help me get him back to his kind.” Mando sought the calm he felt earlier, “It’s my task. As a Mandalorian I’ve sworn to protect him and return him to his people.” 

Fane’s eye perked up again. Good, she likes honesty. He was willing to give it out to the right people who can help him on his way. 

“That is very noble of you. There isn’t much of that around these days,” Fane complemented. “Aren’t Jedi and Mandalorians sworn enemies?” 

“So I’ve heard. How did you know that?” 

“Old galaxy stories." She wasn't lying. "And you still swore to take him?” 

“Yes.” 

“He’s happy with you. Why not just keep him?” 

“He has powers that I do not understand. He needs someone who can teach him.” 

“And you? What do you get out of it?” Fane asked earnestly. 

“I-” Mando paused. “ I don’t get anything. I complete my task and uphold my creed.”

It was much more than that. He cared for Grogu more than he could explain, more than he was prepared to for anyone who wasn’t his own kind. Mando needed to tell Fane how it all happened from the bounty to the end of Moff Gideon.

Luckily, she was an excellent listener. He could see her lip quiver with questions that were never released. It must have taken great strength to not lung at him after hearing all the danger the kid was put through from Jawas to Imperial droids. In its place was a strange comfort in the conversation, a great relief. 

“It looks like you’ve been on many adventures since I saw you last little one.” Fane tucked a sleepy Grogu in her arms and rocked him gently. “A few weeks ago a Quarren from Trask came by looking for old Imperial weapons, or remnants of when Tatooine was controlled by Jabba the Hutt. They were pretty interested in Cobb’s armor and kept going on about _those damn Mandalorians_ taking their haul. I’d say that’s a good place to start.” 

“It’s a great start. Thank you. After we take care of the dragon we’ll be off.” Mando looked down to the child snoring loudly in Fane’s arms. “Whatever happened to separate the two of you.. he knows you did all you could. Nothing could sleep that soundly without the promise of trust.” 

Mando couldn’t help but wish that Fane was the Jedi they’d been looking for. He didn't know it yet, but she wished the very same thing. 


	2. The Baggage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The saber was crackling in her hands... sparks and sparks and sparks and... Crack. The crystal... her Master's crystal... there were two now laying in the palms of her hands split horizontally in the middle... laying lifeless...forceless. So was she... so she cried too... But The Child... The Child...

Fane knew that she was dreaming, but she hadn’t done so in five years. She forgot how much she missed the airy worlds that one could float in one moment, and drown in the next. She had not dreamt since she lost The Child. 

It was so clear in her mind. The crashing TIE Fighter was coming into the atmosphere too fast. Fane didn’t even know what planet they were landing on. What if there were civilians? The Child, how was The Child? Asleep and tucked in tight to her chest in the snug sling. They’d made it off of that foreign moon, and now they were going to land safely- _safely._

The image skipped quickly and all that she could see was sand, endless sand. The Child was hungry and thirsty and she had nothing to give it. With the Fighter in ashes shelter was key... yes shelter, water, and food. She had hidden on enough planets to know where to find these things...she was taught... she could sense it... 

Another scene... too fast. The Child was crying too loudly... there were too many of them to fight off without rest, without water, without... without... _without her saber_. Fane held up her hand to relieve her Master's saber. Daska had trained with it for years... she had no connection to it... it would fail her... but The Child was too loud. 

It was not easy, she was badly wounded and could barely make it back to The Child. Still crying... The saber was crackling in her hands... sparks and sparks and sparks and... _Crack_ . The crystal... her Master's crystal... there were two now laying in the palms of her hands split horizontally in the middle... laying lifeless... _forceless_. So was she... so she cried too... But The Child... The Child... 

“Fane! Wake up!” A booming voice shook her out of her trance. 

Fane forgot that she was dreaming. She was covered in sweat and The Child _was_ crying. The Mandalorian stood over her cradling it in his beskar clad arms. The Child was safe with The Mandalorian. Fane wasn’t dreaming in the first place. 

“Mando- The Child...” 

“He’s fine, just worried about you.” He put Grogu down for a moment and presented a cup of water to her. “Here, sit up and breathe.” 

Grogu quickly made his way back to Fane cooing with concern. She has scared The Child again. Her mind was in a million different places it was difficult to ground herself. Why were they here in the first place? 

“The dragon?” She quickly found the memory. 

“Gone, few casualties. Mostly The Sand People.” Mando was precise. 

“The Marshal?” She spoke through small sips of water. 

“Safe.” Mando dismissed. He picked up the kid again who was no longer crying. “Do you often have nightmares?” 

“I never have nightmares.” She spoke before he could question her again, “I _never_ have nightmares.” 

“Rest. Come out when you’re ready. They’re preparing a feast. We’ll be leaving soon after.” Mando took Grogu with him. 

For a moment she thought he meant her too- she wondered if he’d ask her to come along, or if her current state answered all the questions she deflected last night. She was truthful. The Child is better off with someone who can protect him. 

* * *

The feast consisted of Cobb retelling the story of what happened to the people who witnessed it first hand, but it was no less enjoyable. This story would be passed down for generations on Mos Pelgo. Fane was happy for the Marshal. He didn’t need the armor now. The story would spread across all of Tatooine and no one would dare invade again. 

The Mandalorian did not eat or drink or revel in the celebration, but neither did Fane. The two watched as Grogu played a game of catch with some of the local children looking back periodically for praise. Fane clapped her hands together and the kid smiled back brightly. She had never seen him be... well... _a kid_. 

“He’s going to miss you.” Mando’s voice was soft coming through the amplifier. 

“He’ll get over it. Besides he’s got a bigger adventure ahead of him.” 

“What do you know about the Jedi?” Mando looked away from Grogu, “Are they sorcerers?” 

“I wouldn’t call them sorcerers.” Fane pondered, “Jedi is similar to a religion. The Jedi follow the Order of The Jedi. They are protectors who can wield the Force.” 

“The Force?” 

“The Force? The Tide? Life Current?” Fane couldn’t believe it. Even children raised in a town that didn’t appear on a map knew about the Force. “It’s an energy field that connects everything in the universe. To yield the Force is a difficult task and takes many years to harness. It’s my understanding that Grogu has had some training.”

Fane didn’t know much more about Grogu than Mando did. Their time together had been brief, but she knew that he was taken from the Jedi Temple on Coruscant during The Purge. Her Master had told her many stories of the young lives that were lost, and how The Jedi were scattered to the wind during the rule of The Empire. 

She had always wondered what it would have been like to be trained properly at a temple with other padawans. Fane had been planet jumping since before she could remember hitched on the back of a Bothan Jedi named Daska before she grew taller than him. He’d saved younglings from The Purge, just as he had saved her from the invasion. She was much too young to understand it at the time. 

“So his powers are the Force?” The Mandalorian was not equipped with the proper language. Fane felt his earnestly nonetheless. 

“Not exactly. It gets more complicated. When you find a Jedi they’d love to tell you all about it, I’m sure.” Fane laughed. 

“You know a lot about this. Did you know any Jedi?” 

“Yes.”

“But you said-” 

“They died, Mando. They’re gone. At least the ones I knew.” 

“I didn’t mean to- I’m sorry for your loss.” 

He didn’t know what he was saying. He didn’t know that it was _her_ loss. Fane became agitated and uncomfortable nonetheless. There was no point of dwelling on the past. The Child was safe, and the past five years of constant regret and shame should blow away like the sand. So why did Fane feel heavier than ever? Buried. Why was this not finished? 

Cobb came over to their table, Gorgu in hand. “Surely this armor isn’t enough to repay you, Mando. Please, is there anything we can do?” 

“You could convince Fane to help us find The Jedi-” Mando was serious. 

“ _Jedi_ \- must be a really important mission if you need to find them.” Cobb looked at Fane and took her hands, “Not a bad idea. You’ve been stuck here too long. Sands starting to clog your ears.” 

“I’m a vital part of this community.” Fane was caught. 

“A vital pain in my ass is more like it.” Cobb smiled at her, “The kid, that’s why you kept yourself here right? I don’t know anything you’ve never told me, but I do know whatever it is you should see it through yourself.” 

There was nothing but silence between them among the jubilant celebration. Nothing else seemed to pierce through the hunk of beskar shielding them from the room. The Marshal had watched Fane hide herself for five long years while he tried to rebuild a town he could be proud of. He knew a thing or two about unfinished business. He never asked her why- the people of Mos Pelgo thought she was a refugee princess. 

Cobb turned to Mando, “She’s a pretty good co-pilot. A great mechanic. She’s come with me to take care of things now and again. She’s reliable, stubborn, painfully truthful, but always reasonable. Like she’s got this _magic_ in her.”

“I don’t doubt that.” Mando didn’t need to be convinced. 

“It’s settled then. Go out there and explore the galaxy again. Nothings going to mess with you when you’re with a Mandalorian.” Cobb wiggled his eyebrows at Fane. 

Fane rose from the table and the calm that she normally brought along with her was gone. Cobb immediately stopped trying to get her to smile and let go of her hands. 

“One- I’m not something for you to bargain off, Cobb.” Her nostrils flared again, “Two- It’s amazing how the two of you think I’ll just uproot my life. And Three- I’m a _great_ co-pilot.” 

Fane walked out of the cantina ignoring Grogu waving up at her. Mos Pelgo was never cold but she felt a chill. Something deep within her, fear, it was always fear with her. She wanted to walk back to her small hut. sleep and wake up in her town with no Mandalorian... No child. Sleep... how could she sleep now? 

She perched herself against the outside of the cantina. Her mind tried to map out the rest of her life- if she went with Mando and Grogu to Trask... if they did find a Jedi... She was better off remaining dead here in an unmarked town, buried deep, deep, deep in the sand. 

A small hand pulled on her leg. The Child looked up at her like he did not remember their time together. _Maybe he didn’t_ \- Mando said something about Moff Gideon wanting his blood. What did they want it for? She reached down to pick up the little green goblin and held him close to her chest. He snuggled up like before when they were escaping a foreign moon where Grogu faced Moff Gideon the first time. 

“It’s like I said, he’s going to miss you.” Mando stood in the doorway. 

“And if we find them you’re just going to hand him over? Then what?” Fane felt her fear rising again. 

She had no way of knowing that the Mandalorian, a legendary warrior, had not thought much ahead of his mission except for this moment. The child belonged with his kind, and Mando hoped that was enough to hand him over. 

“Go back to the guild. Hope I didn’t ruffle too many bantha along the way.” 

The silence was deafening. Fane had hoped that Mando would be giving her reasons to accompany them to Trask, but something told her he was aware of the war raging inside her head. She couldn’t think straight with The Child fussing around, so she tried to pass him along to Mando. 

She was stuck. Grogu had latched onto the necklace Fane had hidden in her robes. He pulled on the long gold chain. On the end of it were two arch shapes in varying sizes, one fitting inside the other. They were suspended on a solid gold circle with similar ones attached to each end of the arches. The Child cooed in recognition. The symbol of Fane's home, Aq Vetina. 

Daska said it once belonged to Fane’s mother, to her people. It was the only thing she had left from home besides the dark memories of leaving. It was the one attachment she was allowed during her training, and one that her master never questioned or scolded her for. 

Fane called a ceasefire in her mind. The memories of her home and her Master set her back on course. She was tasked with the protection of this child, and here was her opportunity to finally see it through. When it was finally finished, when Grogu was reunited with The Jedi she could breathe again. 

“I was once a foundling too. This is all I have left of my people.” Fane smiled brightly at Grogu once again. “I will help you find yours.” 

“We’ll leave a first light. My ship is docked in Mos Eisley with Peli.” Mando was ridged as he took Grogu into his arms and began to walk to his temporary dwelling. 

Fane couldn’t help but hope she would find another survivor along the way, one of her own. She didn’t know it yet, but one was just walking away. 

* * *

Sharing a speeder bike with a beskar clad Mandalorian and a baby wasn’t easy. Fane spent most of the journey to Mos Eisley facing backwards and keeping her eyes out for bandits. Her pistol was nothing like the arsenal Mando packed, but she was a good shot even if it wasn’t her weapon of choice. 

She hadn’t seen Peli since they had gone their separate ways over four years ago. The rough and tough mechanic still stood five feet from the ground, hair and all. It looked like she was getting quite a lot of business these days, and was employed fairly frequently by Mando by the familiarity between the two. 

“I don’t know how you keep that thing in the sky Mando, but the droids did all they could. Don’t worry I made sure to give it a once over myself.” She turned to face Fane, “Good, you found her. Once a friend of Peli, always a friend of Peli.” 

“It’s good to see you too.” Fane bit back the bitter memories of their first meeting to save face. It’s not everyday you’re dragged out of a sandpit by a manic woman and her team of repair droids. “We’re off to Trask to find some Mandalorians.” 

“See, I said she’d be a big help to you Mando. Especially with that hunk of junk. I taught her everything she knows.” Peli deserved the praise, “Now, a favor for me since I led you to a gem.” 

Peli started to squawk in a language no one else seemed to understand and an amphibian walked up to the group carrying what looked like an incubator on her back. The pair exchanged more words in the Frog Lady’s native tongue. 

“I’m not a taxi service.” Mando rumbled. 

“She’s going to the same place you are.” Peli bargained, “Her husband is on Trask. She needs to get her eggs there safely, so no hyper speed or they’ll be lost.” 

Mando and Peli went at it for a few more minutes before he agreed to take on the passenger. Fane never could win an argument against her. There was something about the high pitch in her voice that never seemed to run out of steam. The Frog Lady ascended the ramp and into The Crest before another word could be spoken. 

“Hold up a minute, you might need this too!” Peli shouted before they could follow behind. 

In her hand was a familiar barrel-shaped object with a worn grip and tarnished metal fastenings. Fane had not seen Daska’s lightsaber since she lost The Child. The proof that it would never work again was in the small canister tucked away in Fanes breast pocket. She suspected Peli knew that, but persistence was always her strong suite. 

“It’s a useless piece of junk. I told you to scrap it before.” Fane didn’t reach for the hilt of the saber. 

“Exactly why I’m getting rid of it. Not even enough to scrap!” There was a gleam in Peli’s eyes. 

Fane couldn’t move, so she just stared at the hilt being presented to her until a gloved hand engulfed the shape. Mando took the hilt from Peli and started up the ramp. “We have to get moving.” 

Peli shrugged as she moved back to the workshop and Fane moved deeper into the Crest, dumbfounded. What use was a severed kyber crystal and a saber that was faithful to another Jedi? There were rules that neither the mechanic nor the Mandalorian understood, and she was not about to give a lesson.

The Razor Crest was a piece of junk and Mando didn’t seem to hide it either. He gave a quick tour of the resting quarters that consisted of a questionable hammock where Grogu slept and one cot. Fane noticed while passing the carbonite freezing chamber that there were no bounties... currently. This only sparked her curiosity more of how The Child came to be in the care of a Mandalorian. It was starting to look like she had plenty of time to ask questions. 

Once The Frog Lady, Grogu and Fane were all in the cockpit, Mando charted a course for Trask. “Since we can’t make the jump this could take a while, so get comfortable.” 

* * *

A few hours into the journey the Frog Lady took her eggs into the cabin to rest where Grogu was sleeping soundly in his hammock. 

“I’m surprised he doesn’t fall out.” Fane said suspiciously. 

“Never has before. We can’t jump anyway.” Mando gestured to the hovering pod set off to the side, “He usually sleeps in the cradle.” 

“He goes everywhere with you? Even on jobs?” 

“Usually, but he’s been the job lately.” Mando reached to his side and pulled out the saber he took from Peli, “She wanted you to have this...” He was trying to find the right word to call it. 

“You don’t know what this is?” Fane was met with silence. “Doesn’t matter anyway. It won’t work.” 

“Why won’t it work?” 

“It needs something to power it. The chamber is empty.” 

“What does it need?” Mando started off in the direction of a tall compartment with spare parts. 

“Never mind that. I wouldn’t be able to get it to work anyway.” Fane was overcome. 

“Peli and Cobb said you’re a good mechanic. I’m sure you could figure something out.” Mando was persistent. 

“It’s not a mechanic sort of thing.” Fane took the opportunity to change the subject, “You and Grogu seem to have a strong bond.” 

“He saved my life. More than once.” Mando’s amplifier strained, “I was once a foundling too. I was given the task by one of my own to see the kid to his own kind.” 

So Mando was a foundling too? She had wondered where he came from. Was it somewhere she’d been before? The Mandalorian hadn’t revealed himself as anything other than pounds of beskar so it was difficult to imagine. 

“And if The Jedi can’t take him, will you raise him?” 

“Why wouldn’t The Jedi take him? He needs to be trained.” 

“It’s clear that he’s formed a strong attachment to you. Attachments are forbidden in the Jedi Code.” She spoke too clearly, “Or so I’ve heard.” 

Their conversation was interrupted by ships in their peripheral. Two X-Wings by the looks of them. New Republic pilots on patrol. The hailed the ships coms and Fane could see Mando tense. The conversation was brief, just a normal check, but the Crest was pre-empire. 

“They just want to make sure you’re not imperial.” Fane said. 

Mando didn’t respond. He wanted to wait it out to see if the pilots would move on and take his word for it. There was no way he was giving up a pin. “Go get the kid and strap him in. Frog Lady too.”

“Mando they don’t mean you any harm.” 

“Now.” He demanded. 

Fane did as he said and moved quickly. Seeing Grogu again must have clouded her senses. She knew nothing about this Mandalorian or his true intentions. She was going off of pure instinct which wasn’t always kind to her. 

Before she could settle into her own seat Mando began the rapid descent to a planet below. The X-Wings immediately began to open fire on the Crest. 

“Why are they firing at us?!!” Fane screamed trying to calm Grogu and help keep the jar of eggs from toppling over. 

Mando didn’t respond. Instead he continued to dodge the oncoming fire and plunged deeper into the planet's surface. The X-Wings were relentless. It was becoming clear the Mando was wanted by The Republic, but for what?

Fane steadied the Frog lady and took over coms. “This is Fane Valen, former resistance alley, I assisted the Bothan’s during the Battle of Endor. Please hold your fire, there are young lifeforms aboard!”

“What are you doing?!” Mando was struggling to steer the ship out of the line of fire. 

“Saving our lives!” Fane tried to reach the pilots again, but the Crest took enough damage to knock out the communication system. 

They were plummeting now. They’re only hope was to find somewhere open to land, but large mountain ranges covered in snow made up the entire surface of whatever planet they sought refuge. The Crest was able to wedge through a cavern leading the X-Wings off their trail. They were losing speed. Fane lost her footing before impact. 

* * *

The crash felt similar to the TIE Fighter going down in the sand except Fane was on a pre-imperial gunship impaled on a frozen planet. There was much more room to get knocked around. She had apparently allowed herself time to rest judging by her groggy state and her freezing body temperature... Freezing... she was actually freezing. 

Fane jolted upwards and felt the skin on her exposed neck and fingertips rip apart from her. An obtuse rectangle shape was left exposed and bleeding under her right ear. She didn’t have time to assess her hands before she noticed her own blood dripping onto the silver beskar armor below her. 

Mando must have tried to shield her during the crash to lessen the blow. His unconscious body lay next to her on the floor of the cockpit where she was frozen to him moments ago. He was breathing, too shallow, but breathing nonetheless. He could hold on while she helped the others. 

She was sore from her neck to her ankles and everything seemed to pulse so loudly in her head. Every ligament tried to pull against each other like they were sounding off alarms to regain function. She thought this must be what droids must go through while rebooting. Everything was trying to successfully return to its proper function and Fane was in pain. Not to mention she might have frozen to death fused to a Mandalorian if she stayed asleep for much longer. 

She looked around frantically to see where the others had ended up. The cradle seemed to take the crash well as there were no indents to the hard dome. She quickly pressed the release to show a sleeping Grogu perfectly unharmed, but most likely rattled and exhausted. He was cold to the touch, but not quite shivering. 

The Frog Lady was passed out clutching the incubator, and again didn’t seem to be harmed. Fane made her way over to gently rouse the amphibian and move her somewhere warmer. There was a giant gaping hole in the Crest that was bringing in frozen air by the second. She needed to find blankets, and something to cover the hole in the ship while they rested and thought of a plan. 

Stowed away tarps were useful to bundle the baby and the Frog Lady who squawked in thanks before snuggling Grogu into her body heat. Now, the hole. She’d need Mando to help move anything big enough to close it off completely, but his state was still unknown. 

Fane walked back up the ladder to the cockpit. Mando’s breathing was still shallow with the slow rise and fall of his armor. The helmet wasn’t helping him at all. She reached down carefully and hooked her fingers under his chin. The deep hiss of the compressor began to sound as two gloved hands latched onto her wrists refusing to let her lift the helmet any higher.

“I can’t take it off.” Mando huffed. 

Fane began to examine the helmet for damage. “Is it stuck?” 

“I can’t take it off _ever_.” Mando spoke plain, “This is the way.” 

“Oh, I see.” Fane knew a thing or two about codes. “Well I’m glad you’re awake ther-” 

The Mandalorians hand moved from her wrists to her bleeding neck. He didn’t try to put pressure on it to stop the bleeding, just sat there for a moment examining the wound. Fane felt very strange staring into something as hollow as a full helmet made of beskar knowing that beneath there was someone animated and full of life. Someone capable of sympathy and gentleness. 

“You’re hurt.” Gentle and oblivious. 

“I’m fine, but the ship-”  
“I meant to cover you- you were standing and helping the kid when we got hit.” He examined his gauntlet where the blood had pooled the most, “ I didn’t mean-” 

“It’s alright, Mando.” Fane paused, “It is Mando, right? That’s what Peli called you.” The Mandalorian didn’t respond. Instead he began searching the few small compartments on the left side. He retrieved a can of bacta spray from the med crate and held it in firing position at Fane’s bleeding neck. “That’s not necessary. I’ll wrap it up and it will be fine. Save that for something life threatening.” She quickly retrieved a long bandage wrap from the med crate and began wrapping. “Grogu is-”

“I know. I scanned the ship before. Three lifeforms.” Mando took the bandage from Fane’s hand as she struggled to pull it tight enough. “Thank you for getting them to safety.” 

“I assumed your armor would keep you warm enough while I assessed the damage.” She winced as the pressure on her wound tightened. “Thank you. Better a few scratches than a head injury.” 

Mando hummed like he knew the difference. He did. That was a story for another time. For now they needed to seal the hole in the ship to keep whatever heat they could trapped inside the Crest.


	3. The Sense

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He looked back to her face, and though his helmet never once moved, she had to know his eyes were on her. Her stare narrowed on his visor. She was completely exposed and yet still difficult to read. He wanted to know what she was feeling, if she wanted him to look.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're getting there folks ;)

Mando and Fane were able to seal the hole in the ship with some extra storage containers and the door to the armory. It still wasn’t enough to keep out the freezing air, but it was enough to block off part of the ship so they could get to work on repairs. She was a great mechanic, and Mando liked the idea of having someone to help with the excess damage. 

He felt a tinge of regret every time Fane changed the bandage on her neck. It was still bleeding, though not as badly as before. She rejected the bacta spray again, and again. He insisted on doing all the rewiring in the compartments under the ship, but she had already begun before he could protest much. Maybe it distracted her from the pain? 

“You should rest a while or you’ll freeze to death out here.” 

“I’ve been on colder planets before.” 

“With the resistance?” He pressed. “You said you were a resistance alley.” 

“I was just trying to get them off our backs.” 

Mando didn’t buy that for a second. She was clear and precise and spoke like someone who worked cooly under pressure. He wondered if it would have worked if the coms hadn’t gone out. He remembered hearing about the Battle of Endor once before, but nothing much mattered outside of his tribe. The silence grew more uncomfortable. 

“What’s a Bothan?” He remembered from before. 

“Short, like the Frog Lady, pointy ears like Gorgu, but covered in fur that shifts into patterns depending on their emotion.” She huffed as she struggled to solder the wires, “They never stop talking, like Cobb, but are very wise- they also have _A Way_.” 

“What is the Bothan way?” 

“Pretty standard, putting their interests above all others, their family above all others, their clan above any other clan, their race over other races.” 

“And you helped them?” 

“One helped me.” 

“Are you a Bothan?” Mando asked in earnest and Fane peared out from under the ship and turned her head to the side. 

“Are _you_ a Bothan?” she said sarcastically. 

She said they were covered in fur... right. “When you were a foundling did they take you in?”

“My turn. What is your _Way_?” 

“Pretty standard.” 

“Does it involve criminal activity?” She only waited a moment for an answer, “I still don’t understand why two republic ships shot us down after they ran your pin-” 

Mando didn’t know where to begin. His hands were tied when helping his old crew and there was a lot of life to cover before he was strictly a lone bounty hunter. He didn’t want to relive anything that happened prior to his solitary life. A creeping sense of unwanted judgement clouded his mind. He never cared what others had thought about him before. 

“There was an incident-- I don’t usually take jobs that involve the republic unless it’s retrieving bounties. The vessel was supposed to be operated entirely by droids, but there was one--” How could he tell her he tried to ease the situation without sounding condescending? Why did he need her approval-- her trust? “Sometimes jobs are unpredictable. You’re thrown into situations where you need to think quickly.” 

“I understand.” Fane crawled out from under the Crest covered in grease. Her bandage was seeping through again. “It doesn’t excuse the danger you put us all in.” 

“I’m not used to--” he wanted to tell her this was the first time he ever hauled cargo that was precious. Precious to him. “I’m sorry.” 

He offered her a hand to help her stand, but she recoiled her fingers. She didn’t want him to see how much skin was missing, how raw they were from being attached to frozen beskar for an unknown amount of time. She continued to work without complaining or showing any kind of discomfort. 

“I am in no position to scold you, but I am worried about getting this ship back in the air.” She ran her hands on a discarded piece of cloth. Blood and grease spread over the fabric. 

“You’re still hurt. Badly.” Mando tried to move closer to inspect the damage on her hands, “Do Bothan’s often reject medical assistance.” 

“When the survival of-- _others_ are more precious.” she winced as he seized her wrists. 

Mando inspected the pads of her finger tips, frozen and raw. He removed his gloves quickly and guided them onto her hands. “Since you refused the bacta at least let them heal on their own.” 

“I won’t be able to wire anything with these on.” The gloves were far too big for her hands. 

“You’re done wiring for now. Go get warm. Check on the kid.” Mando moved to take her place on the underside of the ship and got back to the repairs. 

* * *

Another hour went by trying to regain the integrity of the Crest, but when Mando returned to the ship to get warm only Grogu and The Frog Lady were inside. Fane could be sleeping in the cockpit to stay warm, but the eggs were also missing. 

“Where’s Fane?” Mando questioned Grogu before the harsh sound of a digital vocator echoed through. 

“Keeping your promise. She found a hot spring deeper in the cavern. She took my eggs to incubate.” The Frog Lady was using the disserviced protocol droid to speak. “If they stayed in this cold any longer all would be lost.” 

“How long ago did she leave?” 

“About a half and hour. You don’t need to worry about the Jedi.” 

“Jedi?” Madno scooped up Grogu and turned to the makeshift door, “Stay here. Do not leave. I’m going to bring her back. Nightfall is coming fast.” 

Mando kicked one of the containers used to block the hole in the ship before turning on his heat scanner. Why did Fane lie to him about being a Jedi? If she had told him the truth they wouldn’t even need to find other Mandalorians, and they wouldn’t be trapped in a frozen tundra. He looked down at Grogu when he picked up the trail. 

“What did you do kid? Too difficult to train?” Mando’s footprints stomped loudly as he trudged deeper into the cavern. “Kept running off and eating things you shouldn’t?” 

Gorgu’s ears perked up while his eyes widened. Too hard to train... Mando knew that The Child was powerful. He stopped a full blown mudhorn just by reaching out his hand. There were so many things that could not be explained, but the sting of betrayal washed over him. He had thought she cared for the kid. 

The pair finally reached the end of the footprints. There she was sitting in the steaming water along with the eggs. Her hair was piled high on the top of her head, back completely exposed. She was unwrapping the bandage around her neck and wincing in pain. It looked infected now, yellow and blotchy. 

Her hands gently cupped some water from the spring and brought it to the wound. Her spine tensed, but soon relief came over her. She slowly began to submerge deeper into the spring emitting a deep moan of comfort. 

The Mandalorian couldn’t move. All of the anger that he had pent up vanished at the sight of her healing. She had been freezing since before the crash, but she went straight to work on the repairs without question. Now she was content and warm. He’d wait a few feet away to make sure they both made it back to the ship before nightfall. 

He began to take silent steps backwards to give Fane the privacy she deserved, but Grogu cooed loudly giving away their position. Fane grabbed the pistol that was laying on top of her discarded clothes on the side of the spring. She was pretty quick on the draw. 

“Show yourself!” Fane lifted herself a few inches out of the water. 

“What are you doing?” Mando barked and set the kid down. 

“You scared me half to death. You should have made yourself known!” She hadn’t returned to the water. She was exposed from the chest up still holding her pistol steady. 

“It will be dark soon. It’s not safe out here.” Mando stomped closer to her. “How did you even know there was a hot spring?” 

“This isn’t my first ice planet.” She spat. 

“Or is it because you’re a Jedi?” He spat back. 

“What are you talking about?” Fane recoiled slightly before moving closer to the edge. 

“Frog Lady, she told me you’re a Jedi. Why did you lie to me?” He stopped right against the spring. 

“I didn’t lie, and I’m not a Jedi!” Fane lifted herself further out of the water placing her hands on the edge of the pool. Her face matched the height of his helmet as she arched closer. 

They stayed there for a moment, both angry and exposed. Mando took a moment to look at her. She had a deep scar in the dip of her left collarbone, and another horizontal one above her right breast. Her chest was rising and falling in a steady rhythm. The contrast of the freezing air against the warm pool made goosebumps appear all over her skin. 

Her gold chain led down to the pendant she held so dear, but he fought the desire to look any lower. The wound on her neck turned red and swollen, but the bleeding had stopped. Whatever infection was festering before washed away with the spring water. He moved his hand up to examine it more, but the sight of his own exposed flesh matching that of the women stopped him in his tracks. 

He looked back to her face, and though his helmet never once moved, she had to know his eyes were on her. Her stare narrowed on his visor. She was completely exposed and yet still difficult to read. He wanted to know what she was feeling, if she wanted him to look.

Fane’s body was not nervous, she was steady in the steam of the pool unwavering and strong. 

She set her pistol down on the pile of her clothes and retrieved the gloves he loaned her. She grasped them in her right hand and punched them up against his chest plate with a loud _thwap_. 

“The eggs need more time. I can find my way back to the ship before it gets dark.” She sank back into the pool as the steam clouded around her. 

That wasn’t the answer he wanted to hear, so he began to scoop up the eggs and returned them to the incubator. “I can’t protect you out here.”

“I don’t need you to protect me!” She protested pulling the eggs farther away from The Mandalorian. 

“Because you’re a Jedi?” He tried to move his hand in the water to pull the farther eggs closer to the edge. 

“Enough!” Fane slammed her arms against the hot water causing it to erupt upwards in Mando’s face. The water calmed and a crackling sound started to erupt in the cavern. “Where’s Grogu?” 

The frantic little green baby rushed to Mando as quick as his tiny legs could carry him. The crackling sound came from the rock like protrusions coming from the ground and all over the walls of the cavern. Tiny alien spiders began to crawl out and inch slowly towards the commotion caused in the pool. 

“Get out, now.” Mando’s voice was deep and steady. He threw Fane her clothes and continued to retrieve the eggs. 

Once out of the pool Fane picked up Grogu, and Mando slung the incubator onto his back. The trio began to slowly back out of the cavern. Not a moment later slightly larger breeds of the spiders emerged from the darkness, accompanied by larger, and larger, and larger until- 

“We need to run.” Fane huffed and drew her pistol at the sight of the massive ice spider stretching it’s impossibly long legs out to greet them. 

Mando covered them and Fane took off with Grogu back to the ship. It all happened so suddenly, and there was so much gun fire between the two of them. The spiders were too fast and they could never seem to hold a lead. The only way to buy them time was to blast one of the archways and block their access to reaching any farther. Mando tossed three explosives that collapsed part of the cavern taking the behemoth with it. 

Fane was busy clearing out the younger spiders that made it out ahead of them picking each one off with precision. Her feet carried her quickly and she held the kid close to her chest. There was no space between them as she used her body to cover any fallout that might land on him. She was tactically maneuvering their way out of the cavern abandoning the path they came in hopes of cutting some of them off. 

The Crest was now in sight. Mando stopped a little ways off to give Fane and Grogu some cover to get themselves and the Frog Lady safely into the cockpit. He’d only hoped that the repairs they made were enough to get the ship in the air. By the time he executed enough at the base and climbed up the ladder Fane was already revving the ship to take off. Mando was stuck in the doorway blasting the hundreds of spiders trying to break through. 

Mando used his flamethrower on the rest and locked the door to the cockpit. The ship began to lift off the surface, but only for a moment. A heavy force pushed The Crest back down, and the long white legs of the behemoth ice spider made their way to the front of the ship. It’s terrifying size was matched only by the insurmountable number of jagged teeth spiraling in the hollow of its mouth. Grogu was whimpering loudly and the Frog Lady was no less calm. 

He made his way over to Fane at the helm. She had a tight grip on Grogu and her eyes were shut tight. Tears began the spring from her lashes despite her current state of concentration. Mando thought she might be praying when red blasts came shooting towards the ship penetrating the body of the giant spider. It lay limp on top of the Crest after a few rounds of fire. 

Fane’s eyes shot open and she turned to Mando still teary. She set Grogu down in the seat, picked up her pistol again and started to make her way down the ladder. He followed quickly after her. 

“Hold on a minute!” Mando shouted, but she was already outside of the ship picking off one or two stragglers. 

In the blinding lights of their rescuers Fane called out, “More target practice boys?” 

The X-Wing pilots who had marooned the ship to parish on an ice crater held their fire as the last of the spiders fell. Two middle aged men peered down, the one of the left looked like he saw a ghost. 

“We ran the tab on the Razor Crest. Looks like you’re wanted for abduction of prisoner X69-11. Security records also show that you put your own life in harm’s way to try to protect that of Lieutenant Davan from the New Republic Correctional Corps.” The one on the right spoke to Mando. 

“Am I under arrest?” Mando retorted. 

“Technically you should be, but you’re also traveling with a war hero.” The pilot turned his attention to Fane, “We can look the other way if you vouch for him.” 

“I do. I vouch for him.” she said hurriedly, not giving herself a moment to think. 

“We all thought you were dead.” The wide eyed pilot spoke out. 

“I’d like it to stay that way. At least for now.” She was frank. “I’m sure your commanding officers would question you more about letting off a wanted felon.” 

“Whatever you say.” The pilot sounded disappointed.

She paused for a moment. “We need a few things to get off the ground. Any spare parts? Our tank’s losing fuel fast no thanks to you.” 

“If your friend would have let you speak first we wouldn’t have shot you down.” the pilot sighed. “I think we can help considering what you’ve done for the republic. It won’t hold you over for a long journey.”

“We aren’t going far.” Mando, still in disbelief of the narrative unfolding, spoke reluctantly. 

With the spare parts acquired they were able to patch up The Crest enough to get them to Trask. 

“May the Force be with you.” The pilots spoke in tandem. 

“And also with you.” She replied in kind. 

Mando was too preoccupied with getting the ship in the air to press Fane more on the Jedi stuff. He set coordinates and warned everyone that it would be a bumpy ride to Trask. “Wake me if someone starts shooting at us, or that door gets sucked off the rails.” The Frog Lady gargled in protest so he continued, “I’m kidding. If that happened, we’d all be dead. Sweet dreams.” 

“He’s kidding.” Fane reassured. 

“Am not. Sweet dreams.” 

Fane kicked the back of his seat so hard it threw Mando forward on the control panel. The Frog Lady laughed nervously, and Mando turned back to see the biggest shit eating grin on Fane’s face. Especially since Grogu decided to curl up to her for the long journey ahead. 

* * *

The Mandalorian thought of the Bothans as he drifted in and out of waking consciousness. Fane was not short and she did not have ears like the kid. When she did speak it was wise, though not as much as he'd like admittedly. She was definitely not covered in fur. He knew because only a few short hours ago she stood completely bare in front of him without hesitation or embarrassment like she was standing in front of a droid... a hunk of metal... _Dank farrik_. He might as well be. No wonder she didn't try to hide herself there was nothing to hide from. Just cold beskar. 

But he did see her standing there strong and unwavering, a warrior’s stance. When she rose to meet his helmet, when they stood at equal heights, he couldn't explain the sensation but he wanted her to reach out and touch him. What a ridiculous thought. The last time Fane touched beskar she lost chunks of her skin. 

There was also the fact that she was lying about being a Jedi. She had given no reason for distrust before, and the kid... the kid couldn’t stand to be away from her. He trusted Grogu’s judgement enough to know that Fane did not wish them harm, but something was keeping her silent. He thought to his own creed. The Way forbade any Mandalorian from removing their helmet and showing their face to any living thing. If they did they would never be able to put it on again. They would no longer be Mandalorian. This is the way.

Fane did not question him when he told her he could never take it off after the crash. He wondered if Jedi had something akin to that. Or maybe Frog Lady was distraught over the possibility of losing her only offspring. Mando had worked with many questionable people in the past, and Fane was not one of them even if something kept her from being entirely honest. 

Alarms riled Mando from his dream state. They had reached the atmosphere of Trask and they were coming down hard. Fane was already at work trying to slow them down, but she was struggling with the controls. If they didn’t slow down the crash could be devastating.

“The landing array isn’t responding.” Fane panted. 

“Just keep it steady. We’ll have to do a manual re-entry.” Mando took over for Fane who moved back to her seat on the left side of the cockpit. 

Trask flight control was demanding they slow down, but they couldn’t waste a full stop that high up. They’d surely crash onto the landing pad. So, they needed to wait for the absolute last moment. 

“On my signal,” Mando instructed Fane to pull on the break, “One, two, three, now!” 

It was a hard landing, and just as soon as they found their footing the Crest was beginning to lean. Two seconds later they were submerged in the water. 

“Dank farrik!” Fane slammed her hand on the console. “I thought we had it.” 

Mando chuckled under his breath, “Hey, no cursing in front of the kid.” 

The dock crane pulled the remains of the Razor Crest out of the water. It must have been a pitiful sight seeing the old piece of junk droop to the sides, blasters hanging on by a few wires at most. Time had not been good to her. 

He gave a thousand credits to the Mon Calamari dock worker and asked that he do all he can to get the Crest back in the air. Fane was still making it off the ship with Grogu in hand, but he and the Frog Lady had a small lead. 

“Why did you say she was a Jedi?” Madno asked. 

The Frog Lady responded in her own tongue, but kept pointing at her hip. What a time for a disabled droid vocator. Frustration took hold of him. He wasn’t going to find out from her so he kept walking towards the small town. 

“What was that?” Fane came up behind. 

“Just asking her where she might find the other Mandalorians.” Mando lied. 

The Frog Lady had disappeared into the crowd forming by another dock. A similar frog-like figure rushed to greet her. After they shared a tender embrace the Frog Lady waved to Mando and Fane frantically. 

A small sense of accomplishment came over The Mandalorian, but it quickly subsided when he thought about the damage to his ship. A reunited species didn’t seem like a fair trade at the time. He didn’t know how much a thousand credits would get him on Trask. Their surroundings seemed glum and shady. 

After shaking a few webbed hands, Mando and Fane followed the couple to an inn. The Frog Lady gestured inside. 

“Is this where we will find the other Mandalorians?” Mando peered inside as she nodded in agreement. 

It was a crowded inn with Mon Calamari, Quarren and a few other species that Fane had recognized from her travels. A server guided them to a table where Mando paid for two bowls of chowder and information on other Mandalroians. They booked passage on a fishing vessel with a Quarren that was to ship off in an hour. 

“What do you do with the credits you earn?” Fane asked over her soup. 

“Repair the ship. Refuel.” Mando was scanning the inn for shady types, but they did not seem to be in short supply. The sooner they left Trask the better. 

‘So, you use the credits you get from retrieving the bounties to repair and fuel the ship you used to get them in the first place? There’s a flawed compensation policy in your guild, Mando.” Fane was dumbfounded, but Mando had never really thought about it that way before. “Have you ever thought about getting a new ship?” 

“I usually run out of credits getting her into the air before I can think about it. Besides she’s a good ship.” He thought she had a lot of nerve considering she lived in a hidden desert town. “What did you do on Tatooine?” 

“Made runs with Cobb. Eased tensions with neighboring villages and nomads.” She realized she had nowhere else to take this conversation, “...fixed stuff.” 

“And before? You handled yourself well with the ice spiders.” Mando saw Fane quietly retreating from the conversation, “I mean to ask if you’re a warrior.” 

“That’s a stretch. I know my way around a gun. I’m good under pressure.” She hesitated, “most of the time.” 

“Every time I’ve seen you.” Mando reassured. 

He wasn’t saying so to ease her discomfort. When she awoke from her paralyzing dream her thoughts went directly to The Child. When they were being attacked by the X-Wing pilots she was quick to act on diplomacy to save them all. After the crash she moved Grogu and the Frog Lady to safety before assessing the damage of the ship. She knew that the eggs needed to stay warm, so she sought out the spring on her own. Fane even out maneuvered the spiders to clear a path to The Crest. She had a warrior’s instinct and was a welcomed companion. 

They boarded the ship soon after. The Quarren fishermen didn’t say much about where they were going to find the other Mandalorians, but it was their only lead. They made out a few leagues off shore before one of the Quarren spoke. “You ever see a mamacore eat? Come on over here. Get a good view. Let the kid see.” 

Mando moved slightly closer to the middle of the ship deck that was hollow apart from the gate that separates the floor from the ocean below. Fane stayed back looking around at the other Quarren who began to move to their posts. Probably just getting ready incase- 

It all happened so fast, the netted fish fell into the water calling the mamacore to eat and the Quarren hit Grogu’s carriage right into its mouth. Mando didn’t take the time to think about the best course of action; he just dove head first into the water. Finding no purchase to fight the beast Mando came up for air to find the gate locking him under the water.

“Bastards!” Fane emerged from the water seconds after trying to grab onto the metal bars. She was gasping for air and struggled to fight the current. The Quarrens resorted to diving their spears between the grates in order to drown them both. Mando’s armor shielded him from the sharp blades, but Fane was exposed to take a hard blow to her left shoulder and disappeared under the water. 

He dove down to try and retrieve her, but the current was too strong. The Child was in the belly of a massive sea creature, and Fane was being dragged to the unknown depths. The pain of that was drowning him quicker than the sea. He was taking on too much water under his helmet. If he didn’t get air there was no chance he could save either of them. 

When he came back to tether himself on the grates it was no longer caging him. Instead a beskar clad hand reached out to him. He was pulled to safety by his own kind.

“There’s a creature.” He coughed. “It has The Child and a woman...” 

“On it! Don’t worry, brother. We’ve got this.” The Mandalorian with an intricate helmet spoke clearly as two other Mandalorians, one male one female, dove into the water. 

The few moments of anticipation were harrowing. He let them drown. He’d failed the kid, and put Fane in danger for the second time since she joined their quest. Seeing her in the harsh waters gasping for breath was so different from the spring. But The Child... The Child. 

The two Mandalorians emerged from the ocean, the other woman carrying the cradle, the man was holding Fane whose shirt was soaked through with blood. She has sustained a few more injurays than he had thought. _Was she breathing? The Child_... 

The male Mandalorian rested Fane on the deck and immediately began to press down hard on her chest to release the trapped water in her lungs. The woman ripped the shell of the carriage free and Grogu was returned to Mando unharmed. The compression worked and Fane was spewing out sea water trying to catch her breath. 

“Why did you do that!?” Mando choked as he slowly moved closer to Fane. 

“The Child.” Her eyes were bloodshot, but she eased at the sight of the kid. The male Mandalorian began to tend to her wounds.

“Thank you.” Mando turned his attention to the decorated one. “I have been looking for more of our kind.” 

“Well lucky we found you first.” The female Mandalorian began to remove her decorated helmet. The other followed suit. 

Mando was horrified. “Where did you get the armor?”

“This armor has been in my family for generations.” The women in front spoke confidently.   
“You do not cover your face. You are not Mandalorian.” Mando began to shout. 

“He’s one of them.” the male Mandalorian stopped tending to Fane and rose to his feet. 

“Dank farrik, one of what?” He was waterlogged, furious and about to burst. 

“I am Bo-Katan of Clan Kryze. I was born on Mandalore. I fought in The Purge. And you are a Child of The Watch.” She sensed his confusion so she spoke plainly. “A cult of religious zealots who broke away from our society with intentions of restoring the ancient ways.” 

“That’s enough.” Fane pleaded struggling to rise to her feet, but managed to make space between Mando and Bo-Katan. 

The shorter female Mandalorian held Fane’s cylinder with care and presented it back to her in an honorary fashion. It was similar to returning a weapon in combat. Fane frantically reattached it to the buckle on her hip. _Her hip_. Was it a relic of The Jedi? A weapon? His mind was too clouded with rage to think about it any longer. 

“There is only one way. The Way of The Mandalore.” Mando quickly scooped Fane into his arms while she cradled the kid. He took off without saying another word to the false Mandalorians who saved not only his life, but that of The Child and Fane. How could he be grateful when they displayed themselves in that deploring way? 

* * *

He needed to find a medic, or some bacta quickly. Fane kept protesting that he let her walk, but she was losing consciousness. Running frantically back to the inn he noticed the Frog Lady and her husband who immediately ushered him to their room. He laid Fane down on the bed and the frogs went to find someone or something that could help. 

“Stay with me,” Mando pleaded and he brushed the hair out of her face. She was shivering more than she was on a frozen planet. Her body was going into shock. “Fane look at me. You’ll be fine.” 

“Talk to me,” she pleaded. 

“You shouldn’t have jumped in. That was stupid and dangerous and...” Mando saw that she started to laugh. 

“You jumped too.” She smiled weakly, “I told you I was _mostly_ good under pressure.” Grogu curled up beside her neck. 

“No. You always know exactly what to do. On the ship, in the cavern. You’re too hard on yourself.” He searched for a blanket or something to cover her and keep her warm. “You can’t predict when something will go wrong.” 

“I used to-” She choked out, “I used to be able to sense it. Danger. People sneaking up on me in the bath.” 

“When you were a Jedi?” 

She began to cry. He understood now how she felt without having to say a word. He was betrayed only moments ago by his own kind. He hadn’t even been able to process the knowledge he had gained from that encounter. A Child of The Watch? What did they mean zealots? 

“Did you know anything? About what Bo-Katan said?” He hid his frustration. 

“I knew Mandalorians during the battles against the empire.” She struggled to continue. “And they would often remove their helmets.” 

“You didn’t say--” 

“It wasn't my place. I don't like the way she told you. _You must feel_ \--” She started to cry again. It was uncontrollable. Mando wasn’t sure his eyes were dry at this moment either. “There was once a time I learned that my way of life was different than what others thought it should be, but it was the only way I knew. It doesn't make it right or wrong, just as long as you live true to yourself. If your way is to keep your helmet on that also follows your tribe then so be it.” She looked at him softly, “but did removing their helmets make them any lesser?” 

“No. They saved you without question just as any Mandalorian would.” 

“There is no right way to live.” 

The Frog Lady returned with bacta and dry clothes. She made frantic movements to get Mando and the kid out of the room to nurse Fane’s wounds. He was reluctant to leave her side. How could she ease all of the discomfort in him so simply. He thought back to their first meeting, the calm she cast over himself and Cobb. It might have been remnants of the sense she lost. But it wasn’t lost. 

He waited outside of the room pacing back and forth. The Child wouldn’t stop fussing either until he was brought to the tiny hatched tadpole that made it through the harrowing journey. All of that for just one to survive... Of course. Of course it was all worth it for one kid. He was doing the same thing. Others were on the same journey he was, but he never looked before. _There is no right way to live_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I might be breaking my rule about alternating pov for the next chapter! Hope you liked it :)


	4. The Knight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Intimacy would not divert someone from the ways of the Jedi as long as it did not result in attachment. Sharing your body with another seemed to require more than that. A sense of possession. Fane had always believed it would be difficult to separate the action from the feelings, but maybe she was wrong. The Mandalorian did not need to see his partners to take them to bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For context - 1BBY is one year before the events of Episode IV - A New Hope

**1 BBY - Batuu**

Fane and her Jedi Master, Daska, had been scouring the terrestrial planet of Batuu for over a week. News of captured force-sensitive Chiss children came into Daska’s ear from the Bothan spynet. When the Darshi had settled near Black Spire and pushed out the natives word spread quickly. 

As the Empire grew stronger more and more species fought for a deeper understanding of the Unknown Regions. Escaping to deep space meant no imperial influence. In a world wrecked by war, turning up on a new planet with the means to destroy the living civilization happened everyday, but not so far out of the known galaxy. 

That’s what the Darshi wanted Chiss for. Chiss were a hierarchy of Grysk who already possessed powers that could navigate the Unknown Regions. Fane shuttered to think what a Chiss with a strong connection to the Force could do. Master Daska suspected that the enemy faction of the Grysks employed the Darshi to carry out the atrocity on their own species. 

Fane knew that there was a time when her Master was of great importance to the Jedi before The Purge, but she failed to understand why they sought Force-sensitive children from a race that sided with the Empire. She removed her Masters old holocron from her robes and unfancied it as she did as a youngling. The words of a legendary Jedi rang through, and told of the fall of their great order. 

"This is Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. I regret to report that both our Jedi Order and the Republic have fallen, with the dark shadow of the Empire rising to take their place. This message is a warning and a reminder for any surviving Jedi. Trust in the Force. Do not return to the Temple. That time has passed. And our future is uncertain. We will each be challenged. Our trust... our faith... our friendships. But we must persevere. And in time, a new hope will emerge. May the Force be with you... always." Fane had listened to this message many times. Master Kenobi spoke of much distress in this message, but the Force was strong within him. 

“And that is why we must find the children, my young Padawan.” Master Daska had returned from the stream where he had been meditating. “The uncertain future holds the promise of our survival. As long as we heed Master Kenobi.” 

“Did you know him, Master?” 

“Long ago our paths crossed at the Jedi Temple. He trained a promising Padawan who was said to bring balance to the Force.” 

Fane looked at her surroundings on yet another foreign planet that was certainly not the famed training Temple. She assumed Master Kenobi’s Padawan had failed. “What happened to him?” 

“Lost to The Purge as so many were.” 

Daska was away on a mission to find Force-sensitive children when the Galactic Senate began to falter. He had rescued Fane from a separatists attack on her home planet of Aq Vetina. That is when this very holocron came to him. She was only a few years old when he took her in, and did not know anything about her life before Daska.

“Then we must rescue as many as we can.” 

“The Force is strong with you, Padawan. I believe this will be a great test for you.”

After a week of scouting they learned the Darshi mercenaries were on strict watch swifts. They moved under the cover of night by timing the infiltration precisely. A quick jump over the bordering fences put Fane and Master Daska on location, and they enter the safe house undetected.

Neither Fane, or her Master, senesced any form of life upon entering the hibernation chamber. No fewer than seven Chiss children from the ages of four to ten floated in the thick waters of the hibernation pods. Their faces were bloated and their exposed skin was connected to multiple wires. Fane began to realize that the sith were not the only creed to commit atrocities. 

“There are no guards-” Fane inspected the hibernation control panel. The cooling system was severed at the core which compromised the pods and killed all of the children inside. “They’ve sabotaged their own mission.” 

“Which means?” Daska prompted with a level head. 

Fane hung her head, “They’re preparing for a greater enemy.” 

“Yes.” Daska placed his hand on the glass of one of the pods. A young Chiss girl floated in toxic liquid, lifeless. She looked to be no older than five years old. “The threat to come is not our fight, Fane. We must go before we are discovered.” 

“But Master, these children-” Fane grew frustrated. 

“Are lost.” Daska turned to retrace their steps to the exit. 

“Master, we can’t leave them like this.” 

“A greater threat approaches, Fane. We must move on.” Daska disappeared into the dark hallway. 

Fane could not silence the suffering in her mind. The images of these lost children, regardless of race or allegiance, were once as she was. Now, they lay wasted by the hands of enemies who could not smother their own greed for power. This was not the first time she had seen the galaxy in it’s true light. 

She put her hand on the glass of each pod and whispered, _may the Force be with you_ , before departing after her master. What a contradiction. Where was the Force before? If the separatists discovered her connection with the Force as a child would she have found herself in a similar situation? Should she be grateful to have been rescued only to see more atrocities? 

The walk back to camp was long and painful. Every step away brought her mind that much closer to turning back. Daska began to build them a fire to last out the night. They would depart for another planet at first light. 

Daska spoke softly, “You have passed your final lesson as a Padawan. You can now take the mantle of Jedi Knight.” 

“I don’t understand, Master.” She fought. 

“There is infinite suffering in the galaxy, and few ways to remedy it.” Daska placed his hand on Fane’s shoulder. The lesson was not the usual tests of tactics or strength, it was learning how to walk away. 

Fane could not feel pride in the immense honor her Master had bestowed on her. She could not continue on the path of the Jedi while those children were stranded in a watery grave. It grew later when her Master went back to meditating down by the river. She would be quick about returning to the Darshi camp and freeing the children. 

The blue bodies of dead Darshi scattered the grounds of the camp. Fane supposed that whatever threat they tried to deter took their revenge. Most of the bodies suffered slashing wounds... Sith were here. They must have wanted to turn the children to the darkside. Was that why Daska was so quick to leave? The threat of losing younglings to follow the Sith died with them... surely the value of a child could not be placed on their potential to serve the light? 

They were still there, all seven small bodies rotting in warm liquid. With no lifeforms around Fane slashed all of the pods freeing each child from the water. She carefully unhooked them from the wires and carried them one by one over the fence to a quiet part of the woods. Fane built rocky graves for each of them and prayed for their happiness in a next life. 

When Fane returned to their camp, leagues away from the nearest outpost, Daska was sitting by a small fire, no longer meditating. He must have known she was gone the entire time. 

“I am sorry, Master. I could not leave the younglings to rot in those pods.” He hung her head. “I have failed your test.” 

“You were knighted before acting on your own, as is your right as a Jedi Knight.” Daska sat down beside her. “I am not angry with you. However, I fear that your insubordination will put you in danger in the future. I urge you to heed my word as your trusted Master.” 

“I will not fail you again.” Fane was not sure she believed her own words. 

Daska sighed and took her hand, “Your greatest task will be to let go of the things you cannot change in order to find hope in what is to come. Failure to do this will sever you from the Force, Fane.” 

* * *

**9 ABY - Trask**

Fane woke after sustaining serious injuries aboard the fishing vessel, but with Mando sitting on the small stool in the corner of the room it seemed as if not time passed at all. Grogu slept soundly next to her on the bed. She slowly began to rise in order to gain her baring's, but the Mandalorian stirred before her feet could touch the ground. Granted, she couldn’t tell if he was actually sleeping. 

“How do you feel? Can I get you something?” He questioned. 

“I’m fine, really.” Her mussels were failing her. “How long was I asleep?” 

“Two days.” Mando sighed. “I- _we_ were worried about you. The kid hasn’t left your side.” 

Fane smiled. “And you?” 

“Took a job- I helped Bo-Katan with a mission. She told me where we could find a Jedi.” 

She was shocked. Before she was bedridden Mando was ready to kill all three of the helmetless Mandalorians. Now he was helping their cause? Fane hoped they answered some of his questions... she hoped that Mando was strong enough to ask.

“I’m glad to hear that.” Fane looked down at her weak legs. Mando stood up and offered her his arm to help steady her rising. “We should get ready to leave then.” 

“Not until you’re well enough to travel.” He steadied her. 

“I’m well- _enough_.” She saw that she was dressed in a nightgown. Her clothes were nowhere to be found, but a stack of fresh garments were laid out on the dresser. “Are those for me?” 

“Your clothes were covered in blood- the shirt was ripped.” Mando helped her walk over to them, “I hope they fit. I don’t have much experience with-”

“Shopping for women’s clothes?” Fane chuckled. “You’re full of surprises-” 

The pants were the color of burnt clay and tailored for utility with several pockets down the left leg. A matching undershirt had small panels of mesh material in order for the tights fabric to breath. The jacket was made of deep brown patched leather, cropped at the waist, and had two armored platelets across the shoulder and down the bicep. Considering where she was stabbed before this was a welcomed addition to her usual armorless existence. Lastly, the belt had one holster that extended down the right in order to wrap around her leg. The belt also had a clip on the left... _for the saber_. 

Before she could question him about it the Frog Lady came in to take Grogu for a feeding, and to see if she needed anything. Fane quickly thanked her, but she was gone quicker than she came. Now she was left with the Mandalorian alone. 

“Will they work?” 

“Yes. Thank you.” She smiled sweetly. “The armor was a nice touch.” 

Mando laughed. It was nice to hear him be casual. Fane had a difficult time picturing conversations he’d share with friends. Did he have any friends? Her shoulder started to cause her some discomfort and she reached to brace it. Mando kept a firm grip on her forearm.  
“Let me help you dress.” The casualness was gone. “I’ll turn my heat sensors on. I won’t be able to see-.” 

Fane knew she couldn’t change by herself. If she attempted to raise her arms above her shoulders she could jeopardize the healing and they’d be delayed even longer. She had a sneaking suspicion that the Frog Lady left quickly on purpose. Before she could protest Mando had led her to the edge of the bed. 

He retrieved the pair of pants first. This would be simple. She was already wearing a nightgown, so all he had to do was slide them up her legs... Mando kneeled in front of her, rolling the pants at the ankles in order to slip her foot in without any resistance. He moved methodically, gently taking Fane’s ankle and feeding it through the fabric. Her toes curled at the strange sensation of his gloved hand gliding on her skin. The same action was repeated on the other side effortlessly, and the fabric was pulled up her calves and onto her thighs. 

“Brace your hands on my shoulders. I need you to stand up.” His voice was steady. Mando couldn’t pull the fabric to her waist while she sat, so Fane did as she was told. Her legs felt weaker now somehow. 

Mando still knelt and kept his helmet looking straight forward. The pants were pulled up over her hips, and under the cover of the nightgown he fastened the button and lifted the zipper in place. He was so close. If he wasn’t wearing his helmet Fane was certain she could feel his breath on her... She sat down a little too quickly and hissed out in pain. What was wrong with her? He was just trying to help because she suffered an injury. 

Neither of them acknowledged it, and Mando moved on to retrieve the rest of her clothes. He brought the undershirt over to her and softly moved her arms straight out in front. His hands moved to bunch the gown up in the back and slowly began to lift it off of her body being cautious of her injuries. Fane was paralyzed. 

The fabric was exposing her lower back, then her shoulders and finally it was pulled lightly over her head. Mando moved the dress down the length of her arms leaving her exposed again like she had been in the pool. Did he have his sensors on then? Not that it mattered much he was disturbing her in a vulnerable situation. What did she have to hide? A body? 

What would make it any different than before? Because he was actually touching her... All of these feelings were so foreign. The helmet made it impossible to tell what he was feeling... what he could see or not see. It was almost thrilling. 

Mando started to move quickly feeding the long sleeve undershirt up her arms and over her head. He was no less gentle, but the urgency of it all was too much for her. She wanted to ask him to slow down. When he led her head through the opening of the shirt he was careful to steady it. His hand was sturdy under her chin keeping her in place. Fane’s lips parted slightly and she fought the urge to shut her eyes and drift off to sleep. His hold on her was so comforting and she let out a soft, involuntary, moan. 

Mando stopped moving the shirt and sounded panicked, “Did I hurt you? Is it your shoulder?” 

_No_. “Ah- yes?” She lied, “It’s fine- really..” 

He continued, but at the cost of his hand dropping from her chin. She was trying to savor the moment and commit it to memory. The shirt was bunched up under her arms so Mando took it on either side and slowly began to feed it down as he returned to his knees. His palms stretched flat against the fabric coaxing it down to her hips. He didn’t remove his hands. Instead he drew small circles with his thumbs. Fane felt another moan coming along, but fought against it. 

“How do you feel?” Mando whispered. 

_Good_. So good and steady. Her legs still felt weak from before. She felt like her spine would melt, collapsing forward onto him. He would catch her and she could drift off. She took a deep breath for the first time in five years. A moment of pure silence passed as Fane memorized the circular motions being imprinted on her hips. She hadn’t answered him. Say something- say anything- 

What could she say? She could thank him, but would she really say what for? Thank you Mando, for your gentle touches on my ankles, your steady shoulders, your deft hands... She felt a pull within her that was warm and unfamiliar. She had never shared an experience like this with anyone else before. 

“ _Fane_ -” He called out to her again. “ _Is there anything else I can do_?” His hands began to slide lower- 

His movements jolted something within her. She was suddenly aware of how close they were, and how there was no clear line between them. It had been invisible before, barely thought of, but it appeared to her clear as day severed in half. It was all so confusing. 

“No-” She sounded too harsh. Mandos' hands immediately detached from her waist. “I mean- no thank you. You’ve been such a help to me already.” Mando stood to grab the remaining pair of socks and her boots, and Fane took them from him hastily. “I can manage the rest. I’ll be out in a few minutes.” 

The fear that she could not explain what was happening to her was all consuming. She blamed it on the medicine and the fact that she was badly injured. Her body had forgotten what it was like to sustain a wound. Surely she was just in shock. But Daska had helped her in situations before. She had never felt exposed for needing help after a fight until now. 

She slowly put on her boots and stood using the bedpost for support. The leather jacket still laid on the dresser and that sinking feeling returned to the pit of her stomach. She would have to ask for his help to put it on.

* * *

The Mandalorian cursed at the shotty job the mechanics did one the Cest. The cockpit was held together by nets and strings. There was no way they’d make it to Corvus in one piece. 

“Can we get her in the air?” Fane was more doubtful that the Crest would lift off from the port than she was about finding the legendary Jedi. 

“Yes, but she won't last long. I think we need to make a stop in Nevarro. I have some friends there that can help patch us up before heading to Corvus.” Mando prepped the ship for take off, “What did you fly before?” 

“ARC-170 starfighter” She remembered. “Good for deep space. We weren’t too sure about where we were going. But the Crest she’s... _classic._ ” 

“Don’t patronize me. I know you don’t like my ship.” He snarked. 

“It’s not that I don’t like it. I’ve just almost died in it-” She laughed. “ _Twice_.” 

“Well, third time’s the charm.” Mando chuckled. “One of my friends was a part of the rebel alliance. Would you know her?” 

So he did have friends, “I didn’t fight with most of the resistance. Just a reconnaissance mission with the Bothan spynet. My master and I stayed pretty covert during the war.” 

“They said you were a hero.” 

“Anyone who had anything to do with destroying the Empire was a hero. The information we gathered was just a trap set for the Alliance. They got lucky with the rest. It wasn’t worth the lives that were lost.” 

“What was the information?” 

“Plans for the DS-MK2.” He didn’t seem to acknowledge her. “The second Death Star. We learned that Emperor Palpatine would be on board to oversee its final days of construction. The plans said it was far from operational. We were wrong.” 

“I kept out of dealing with the war, but I do know that the destruction of the Death Star ended it.” 

“The war ended on Jakku-” She sighed. “I was there too, but not to fight.”

“After fighting alongside Bo-Katan, protecting the kid... There is so much I don’t know.” 

“I like that you don’t know much about the galaxy.” She spoke in earnest, “I don’t think it's wrong to keep to yourself and your goals. But now the galaxy affects your mission.” 

Mando told Fane a bit about his friends on Nevarro, Cara Dune and Greef Karga, who assisted him with saving the kid from Moff Gideon. Gorgu slept most of the trip and Fane was grateful for the normalcy. She felt like her head was going to spin clean off before. The last time she was faced with uncontrollable inner turmoil she lost the kid. 

They landed heavily on Nevarro. The ramp wasn’t reaching the ground so Mando jumped off first and reached up to Fane. She handed him Grogu to place on the desert floor then reached back up to her. “Here- I’ve got you.” 

It would call more attention to her confused state if she refused his help, so she moved to sit on the edge of the ramp and let his hands grip her waist again. Maker he was strong- Of course he was. He’s a Mandalorian. Her body was being lowered to the ground slowly as he used his own for leverage. The moment where they stood chest to chest seemed to continue for eons. 

“Mando!” A booming voice called over to them, “Looks like the old girl could use some repairs.” From the description Mando gave this must be Greef. 

“How’s my credit around here?” 

“I’m sure we can work something out.” Greef laughed, patting Grogu on the head. 

“Looks like you’ve made a new friend?” the tall and daunting women, most likely Cara Dune, spoke directly to Fane. 

“This is Fane Valen, a friend of Peli’s. She’s helping us find the Jedi.” 

“Well I’ll be damned. You’ve got a Jedi right here Mando-” Cara held out her hand for Fane to take, “I remember hearing your name a lot after Endor.” 

Fane felt herself grown smaller, “That was a long time ago. Grogu needs a proper teacher. A Jedi Master if there’s one still out there.” 

Cara revoked her hand and looked at Fane puzzled. 

“Well, any friend of Mando’s is a friend of ours! I’ve got a nice spot to drop the kid while we talk business.” Greef smoothed over the awkward encounter expertly. Fane was able to overlook the fact that he had given out the bounty on Grogu to most of the guild if he stayed this pleasant. 

Mando looked around, “Looks like you’ve been busy.” 

“It’s all thanks to Cara, our new Marshal.” Greef paraded them around the newly revived Nevarro. “She’s been clearing up the town while I handle the clerical work.” 

A door to a wide building opened up to reveal ten or so young children of all species attending school taught by a 3PO-Protocol Droid. It had looked similar to the small school on Mos Pelgo that catered to the children of the town. Fane would frequently sit in on their classes just to walk their small minds at work. Her smile did not go unnoticed. 

“We can leave the little one here while we talk business.” Greef sat Grogu down at one of the empty desks.

“Wait.” Mando hesitated. “Wherever he goes I go.” 

“He will be fine. You have my word. Besides where we’re going you don’t want to bring a kid.” 

Fane’s heart warmed. She too felt odd leaving Grogu behind, but she trusted that this was a safe space for him. A place of knowledge. Somewhere Fane had always wished she could attend. A real school like at the Jedi Temple. Maybe he would make a friend? Mando on the other hand was still rigid when the others began to exit the small classroom. She put her hand on his shoulder, “He’s safe here.” 

“Right-” Mando let out a sigh of relief and followed Greef and Cara. 

Once the party entered a small office Cara spoke, “Can we talk business?” 

“I’m only here for repairs.” 

“Which will take a while. We could really use your help.” 

“Help with what?” 

“Taking down an old Imperial Base on the other side of Nevarro.” Cara didn’t hesitate. “There’s a lot of old heavy weaponry the black market would love to get their hands on.” 

“And you wanna mop up the last of the Imperial Forces before they do?” 

Greef interjected, “I just want them off my planet. If we take out the last base Nevarro would be entirely safe. We would be finally free.” 

They hadn't been there for more than ten minutes and Madno was already being asked to help free a trade anchor. He had mentioned his difficult history with Nevarro before, but all seemed to be forgiven now. 

“What are we looking at?” Mando tried to sound annoyed. 

“The entire base is powered by a reactor.” Greef clarified.

Fane interjected, “overheating it would blow the place.” 

Mando looked over at her and crossed his arms. Greef and Cara smiled. 

“Exactly, sneak in overload the reactor and get out. Job done.” Cara closed. 

“Fine. But you’re staying with the kid.” Mando jumped before Fane could get the chance to interject. “You’re still injured.” 

He was right. If anything she’d slow them down. A few more days rest would do the trick. Besides, she couldn’t even raise her arms to hold her pistol if they got into a scrape. “You’re right- I’ll stay here with Grogu.” 

“It’s settled then. We’ll set you up until we leave tomorrow at first light.” Greef motioned to the door and out into the square. 

* * *

They left Grogu in school for the day while Fane and Mando checked out their lodging. Fane had never relied too much on where she slept, but her years on Mos Pelgo at least afforded her a roof and a comfortable bed. She was without that luxury since she joined on with the Mandalorian, and she did not count being unconscious on Trask as comfort. 

The place was small, but accommodating. Fane overheard Mando arguing with Cara before settling their stay. Something about two rooms not being available. Cara kept shrugging her shoulders and talking over the innkeeper. It was hard to tell who owned the establishment. 

They finally made their way into the room after grabbing essentials from the Crest. 

“I’ll stay in the Crest tonight. You stay here with the kid.” Before she could protest he retrieved a shiny object from his pocket. “I should have given this back to you earlier.” Her necklace dangled in his hand. She couldn’t believe she hadn’t looked for it back on Trask. Mando moved to put the chain over her head. It was feeling too similar the moment when he dressed her. 

“You can’t resist- can you?” 

Mando was caught off guard and faltered, almost dropping the necklace. “Can’t resist what?” 

“Helping people.” Fane smiled. “Cobb, The Frog Lady, now you’re helping secure a safe trade hub on the outer rim?” 

“We had the time.” He huffed, “This town took a lot of heat when Gideon came.” 

“Take the compliment.” Fane pushed. “People really look to you, Mando.” 

“You make me sound like I don’t have faults.” The necklace fell into place. 

“Alright- name one? Besides driving a hunk of junk around the galaxy?” 

He paused, “I- at the spring I wanted to-” 

“Kill me?” Fane laughed. 

“No!” He reacted. “Maker no. You didn’t try to hide yourself from me.”

“No, I didn’t. I was soaking in a pool of water. Did I offend you in some way?” So he didn’t have his sensors on then. 

“No! That’s not what I’m trying to-” 

“I think it would be best if you spoke clearly.” Fane didn’t want to assume she knew what he was trying to say, but she remembered how he stopped his gloveless hand from inspecting her wound in the spring. After all, he was only human under all that metal. 

“I wanted to look at you. I want to tell you why, but if I’m making you feel uncomfortable-” he stuttered. 

Fane was beginning to realize there were many layers to The Mandalorian, and he didn’t have much experience sharing it with others. Daska was her Master, but also her friend. He taught her to share her curiosity. She never hesitated to say what she felt. Denying oneself clarity for fear of how you would be perceived did not bode well with the Force. 

“I think I would understand you better if you told me what you needed to say. As long as you’re willing to hear my reply?.” She sounded like a Jedi. 

She felt like a fraud using her training. The last five years on Mos Pelgo were kind to Fane and allowed her to forget her past outside of bargaining with neighbors and nomads. But she hadn’t thought about where the Jedi ended and she began. Who was she if not a Jedi? He had been making her think far too much in such a short amount of time. Shem issued the numbness of the past five years. The Mandalorian was a warrior, and yet he couldn’t bring himself to speak clearly to her. For now she could be his friend. 

Mando nodded in agreement, “My experiences have been complicated. I have taken _partners_ before, but I’ve never seen one so...” He quickly moved forward, “the question of my own exposure is usually avoided if we reveal only the necessary parts of ourselves.” 

Fane never had an experience with another being regarding the intimacy he referred to. A combination of her training, her travels with her Master Daska, and her involvement in the war didn’t leave much time to think of such things. There had never been attraction for another as her Master had told her was natural for her species. Her mind immediately jumped to the inn on Trask where he helped her dress. 

Intimacy would not divert someone from the ways of the Jedi as long as it did not result in attachment. Sharing your body with another seemed to require more than that. A sense of possession. Fane had always believed it would be difficult to separate the action from the feelings, but maybe she was wrong. The Mandalorian did not need to see his partners to take them to bed. 

“Did you want to see them?” 

“It didn’t matter.” 

Her mind wondered for a moment to the small corners of his ship where he had probably taken these partners quickly with no attachment. “And- this was enjoyable for you nonetheless?” 

“It took care of a need.” He honored her request for clarity, “They were not kind to me. My armor comes with a certain assumption of brutality.” 

Her mind wandered back to the small corners of the ship where he _had_ taken these partners quickly, and with force as they had demanded. She wasn’t naive. She had visited many planets with all types of pleasures even if she didn’t choose to partake. She kept returning to his hands on her waist, and how tenderly he tended to her. “And if those assumptions were not- if you didn’t need to avoid the conversation to keep your creed, you would not choose to be a brutal lover?” 

“Yes.” 

She thought of his hands on her ankle and her hips. The steady touches that calmed and excited her all the same. He’d never done that to anyone before. Fane felt a little less out of her depth and they had shared the experience together. 

“Then you have known this all along. You proved this at the inn.” Fane blushed, “The sight of me was just a confirmation.” She was truthful, but deflecting. Jedi or not these were dangerous emotions that could complicate their mission. 

Now Fane was the one feeling exposed. She was the one who could not hide her face, her body- she was brutally truthful when it mattered most and found it hard to keep back what she was thinking. Something about this made it difficult to show her hand. For the first time since she lost Grogu she wanted her sense back. Her connection to the Force could seek out emotions and give clarity. 

Mando moved closer to her, "How do you do that?" 

"Do what?" She didn’t move away. 

"Make sense of everything?" Even closer. 

Fane was stunned. She wasn’t making sense of anything at all. If anything she was running around in circles. "I was trained in the ways of the Jedi by a master who was a wise Bothan. It's part of who I am even if I am no longer a Jedi." Still, every truth he offered to her was welcomed. 

If there was tenderness before it had been lost. “When you were a Jedi were there restrictions?” 

“Many, but I did not see them as restrictions. To use the Force takes discipline. Your mind needs to stay unclouded.” 

“But you are no longer a Jedi.” 

“I am no longer a Jedi.” 

Fane noticed Mandos hand ball into fists. He was fighting against himself and she couldn’t help but wish she understood what- Fane stopped. He _was_ human under all that metal. She expected him to be truthful, but assumed no responsibility in return. He was baring to her as much as he could without taking off his helmet. Would that be what it took for her to trust him? 

_A true heart should never be doubted, Fane._

The words of her Master reached her. What if it wasn’t simply a confirmation? What if this realization that Mando had wanted to _love_ his lover was foreign until now. There was fear in him when she was injured. The Frog Lady had to physically push the fully grown Mandalorian out of a small rented room for him to leave her side. She had a small wish that he had stayed then... was that... 

She wasn’t in any danger. Not while he was there. Even if there were questions about his run-ins with the republic she had known there was nothing to fear. So, if it wasn’t fear... what was it? 

“Will you tell me your name?” 

“Din.” He looked at her. “Din Djarin-” 

She needed to make a decision. Was she a Jedi, or a friend? _Or something else_... She was no longer restricted. She was free to do as she wished with no code, so why hadn’t she before? When he had seen her in the spring the only thing she could focus on was the reflection of her own body on his beskar.

Fane decided. “Don’t go to the ship tonight.” 


End file.
